Warning signal conversion kit for standard flashlights



Dec. 21, 1948. c. J. DELMOTTE 2,456,685

' WARNING SIGNAL CONVERSION KIT EQR .-$TANDARD FLASHLIGHTS Filed-No 14, 1946 QIN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 21, 1948 WARNING SIGNAL CONVERSION KIT FOR STANDARD FLASHLIGHTS Cyril J. Delmotte, Detroit, Mich., assignor of onehalf to Edward J. Herrmann, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 14, 1946, Serial No. 709,705

4 Claims.

This invention relates to warning signals such as may be used by the operator of a vehicle to prevent collisions at night, as during the changing of a tire or under other circumstances where the vehicle is stalled in a roadway, the object of the said invention being more particularly to provide a set of attachments for a standard form of hand. flashlight whereby it may be quickly transformed into a signal device capable of being set up on a roadway at a safe distance from a stalled vehicle in order to warn oncoming motorists of the existing obstruction.

The said invention has for its object to provide a head member in the form of a light box for ready attachment to the lens end of a flashlight and a foot member for similar attachment to the base end of such flashlight to produce a convenient signal structure of the type referred to without requiring special provision in the structure of the flashlight itself to meet the requirements of such assembly; and, still more particularly, the said invention contemplates the provision of a hollow light box for having a downwardly extending tubular socket adapted to engage the lens end of a flashlight together with a foot member having an upwardly opening socket adapted to engage the base end of the flashlight to support it in an axially vertical position.

Still further, the said invention proposes to provide the foot member with sockets or compartments to accommodate spare batteries for the flashlight and, still further, to provide the foot member with a telescopic cover to enclose the upper ends of the said batteries and also to embrace the body portion of the body portion of the flashlight, when in position in said foot member, for additional support of said flashlight.

Still further objects or advantages additional or subsidiary to the aforesaid objects, or resulting from the construction or operation of the invention as it may be carried into effect, will become apparent as the said invention is hereinafter further disclosed.

In carrying the said invention into effect, I may provide the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter further described, by Way of example, having reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View Of a warning device showing the head and foot members embodying the said invention as associated with a common hand flashlight;

Figure 2 is a vertical View of the same taken on a plane indicated by the line 22 in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the foot member removed.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several figures of the drawmg.

10 indicates an ordinary well-known type of hand flashlight having a lens head I l and base cap l2. I3 is a foot member, of any suitable molded or other convenient construction, and this foot member is provided with an upwardly opening center socket 14 into which the base end I2 of the flashlight Ill can be inserted whereby the said flashlight may be supported in a vertical position as shown in Figure 2.

M is a light box which may have an internal reflective surface and is provided with a forward opening in which is situated a glass or other suitable plate or sign l5 capable of emitting a warning light of suitable coloring and form to serve the purposes, as will be well understood, and this light box is provided on its underside with a tubular socket l6 of such form and dimensions that it may be readily engaged with the lens head I I of the vertically supported flashlight in order that the light box be properly positioned over the base, when the parts are assembled, to perform its functions.

The socket may be of quite simple construc tion. For instance, it may be merely internally tapered to some extent, as shown in Figure 2, so that downward pressure upon the lens head of the flashlight will be suflicient to ensure the required anchorage between the members.

I prefer to provide the foot member [3 with a telescopic cover I1 having a central opening therein, the margins of which may be flanged, as at l8, whereby the said cover may form an additional support for the flashlight at a point above its engagement with the socket l4 and thereby enhance the sturdiness of support of the flashlight and the light box when the parts are assembled and in use.

I still further propose to utilize this cover plate I! as an enclosure for the upper ends of a series of spare batteries l9 carried in suitable pockets 20 provided in the foot member [3.

It will be apparent that, upon removal of the foot member and the light box, the flashlight may be utilized without encumbrance of any kind in every usual manner. It will be further observed that, with the light box only attached to the head, the flashlight may, if desired, be lifted from the foot member without difiiculty where 3 it may be desired to wave the warning signal by hand as in cases of special emergency; and it will also be apparent that the flashlight may be supported by the foot member in the manner shown without the light box M being applied thereto for convenience in illuminating the under parts of a car, for instance, while a mechanic is working thereon.

Thus the described arrangement admits of use in a variety of ways to meet various requirements and the light box and base, when not in use, may be readily stored away while the flashlight itself is at all times available in the usual manner for general use.

This invention may be developed within the scope of the following claims without departing from the essential features of the said invention, and it is desired that the specification and drawing be read as being merely illustrative of 'a practical embodiment of the same and not in a strictly limiting sense. i

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a hand flashlight of the type having a tubular body terminating in a lens cap enclosing a light bulb and a reflector coaxial with said body, conversion elements for adapting the flashlight to use as a warning signal device, comprising a light box having a downwardly depending tubular socket member for detachable engagement about the lens cap of the flashlight, a light-emitting window opening laterally of said light box, said light box having an inner reflective surface positioned to direct light from said flashlight through said window, and a foot member having a vertically opening socket therein to receive the base end of said flashlight.

2. In combination with a hand flashlight, conversion elements for adapting the flashlight to use as a warning signal device comprising a light box having a downwardly depending tubular socket member for detachable engagement about the lens end of the flashlight, a light-emitting window in said light box, a foot member adapted to engage the base end of said flashlight, and a second member carried by said foot member to engage the body of said flashlight above said foot member.

3. In combination with a hand flashlight, conversion elements for adapting the flashlight to use as a warning signal device comprising a light box having a downwardly depending tubular socket member for detachable engagement about the lens end of the flashlight, a light-emitting window in said light box, a foot member adapted ,to engage the base end of-said flashlight, said member being provided with accommodation for spare batteries, and a cover for said foot member having a central opening therein to receive and support the body of said flashlight above said foot member.

'4. In combination with a hand flashlight, conversion elements for adapting the flashlight to use as a warning signal device comprising a light box having a downwardly depending tubular socket member for detachableengagement about the lens end of the flashlight, a light-emitting window in said light box, a foot member adapted to engage the base end of said flashlightsaid member being provided with accommodation for spare batteries, and a cover for telescopic. engagement with said foot member having a central opening therein to receive and support the body of said flashlight above said foot member.

CYRIL J. DELMOTTE,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

